Dirt Diva, a class of 2006 Appalachian Trail hiker, posts her final entries, which include many fine images from the three seasons she encountered. Her comments on summer sound more like a warning:

Summer seemed to last forever. The spring flowers had disappeared, the trees were completely leafed out, and the humidity was nearly unbearable. Many days we walked in 100+ degree heat, and savagely fought off the swarming insects. The only color in the forest was that of tiny trailside mushrooms or huge fungus growths on fallen logs and other decaying matter. We found momentary relief in random water holes where we could take a quick dip before trudging onward.

The other seasons: spring | fall.

{}{}{}

Bastish has more stunning photography from Japan’s Minami Alps.

By noon I had about twenty photos of Kaikomagadake because every time I came to a clearing it looked different, better, beautiful.

Don’t ya love trails like that?

{}{}{}

Rick of Best Hikes has a page of recommended hiking books

. He gets a 4 percent cut of the purchase price if you buy the book from Amazon. Trust me, Rick won’t spend it all in one place.